The Founders of Emerald Fox: Celebrating Women's History Month
In honor of Women's History Month, we sat down with Audra and Maggie, the dynamic founders of Emerald Fox, a thriving AEC marketing firm that has been empowering women and making waves in the industry for over 8 years. Their journey from colleagues to business partners is an inspiring tale of passion, perseverance, and the power of women supporting women.
Inspiration and Beginnings
Maggie and Audra's journey began at a civil engineering firm, where Maggie was the Director of Business Development & Marketing and Audra applied for the role of Marketing Coordinator. Their collaboration spanned over 2 ½ years, during which Maggie's vision and Audra's creativity blossomed. It was Maggie's convincing pitch that led Audra to join forces and start Emerald Fox. Audra, who had been freelancing and yearning for more design work, found the perfect partner in Maggie.
Many may not know, Emerald Fox was not initially planned as an AEC marketing firm, but an education consultant, assisting schools in passing bonds. However, after dabbling in this area for a bit, fate had other plans, and they soon found themselves immersed in the AEC industry.
Overcoming Challenges
Like any entrepreneurial journey, Audra and Maggie faced their fair share of challenges. They learned early on to trust their instincts, especially when it came to client selection. Realizing quickly that not every firm or project was a good fit for Emerald Fox, Maggie and Audra were able to make hard decisions to not accept every opportunity presented, ultimately leading to more successful, enjoyable client relationships and projects. They shared a story of time early on when in one week, they talked two clients out of pursuing three RFQ projects. The clients had very slim chances of winning the work and though it would have been a nice financial gain for Emerald Fox in the short term, it went against a foundational value of always advising and advocating with their clients’ best interests in mind.
One of their biggest challenges was scoping and pricing their services as there weren’t many examples to draw from. They leaned on advice shared by established AEC firm owners – Take ownership of the value you bring to the project and find ways to emulate how more established firms handle non-project business activities like invoicing and proposal development. Taking that advice seemed to work. Audra confessed they had one early client that didn’t realize until two years into the relationship that Emerald Fox was just four months old when he initially signed the contract to work with the firm. Embracing a “big” firm mentality helped Audra and Maggie navigate these early challenges in a way that has continued to support their growth and firm development over the past eight years.
Women Empowerment and Impact
Being a women-owned business has been instrumental in Emerald Fox's growth and success. Audra and Maggie understand the importance of advocating for the value of marketers, especially in a field where marketing departments are often misunderstood and undervalued. They have created a workplace that celebrates women, offering flexibility, a competitive benefits package, and a supportive environment for professional growth.
Their advice for other women looking to start their own businesses is simple yet powerful:
"Start building your network now." – Audra
“Entrepreneurship isn’t just about finally getting to do the work you’re passionate about. You also must find the work and run the business. Be prepared to engage in all three.” – Maggie
Maggie and Audra can often be heard emphasizing the importance of networking and building relationships, as many opportunities arise from connections made along the way. Maggie likes to joke that her career path is like playing the game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. She can draw direct connections from early in her career, to every moment that made a huge difference – an introduction to her first boss in the AEC, a convincing argument made by an industry friend on her behalf to hire her to create a firm’s marketing department (where she met Audra), to the referrals made by long-time supporters of the Foxes in the early days of the firm. Every connection counts and you never know where it might lead you.
Future Aspirations
Looking ahead, these leaders envision Emerald Fox becoming the most sought-after AEC marketing firm in Texas. They are committed to smart growth, focusing on quality over quantity, and ensuring that every client they take on is the right fit. They are passionate about maintaining their company values and setting a standard for the industry, advocating for mental health, work-life balance, and working smarter, not harder.
Maggie and Audra’s story is a testament to the power of women supporting women and the impact they can have on an industry. As we celebrate Women's History Month, let's take inspiration from their journey and continue to empower and uplift women in all fields.